


Shut Up

by Tinybit92



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Bullying, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, kind of?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-13
Updated: 2012-12-13
Packaged: 2017-11-21 01:13:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/591766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tinybit92/pseuds/Tinybit92
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aranea is used to being told to shut up. She's used to negative emotions being hurled her way because she talks too much. That's why she has Meenah. Meenah, who despite her ribbing is always there to listen to her. Meenah, who tells her that if they don't appreciate her, they don't matter. Meenah, who would never tell her to shut up. Right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shut Up

**Author's Note:**

> Writing les8ifins fanfic at 3am. I think I might have a problem... Can be interpreted as pale, flushed, or just best friendship.

“Aranea, shut up.”  
“Serket, shut your mouth.”  
“Will you please just shut up already.”  
“Shut up, for the love of god!”  
“Shut up!”

She was used to it at this point. No one wanted to listen. There was nothing she could do about it. She can’t change who she is. She really had tried too. No matter what though, she just couldn't stop herself from going on and on, and inevitably irritating anyone who had taken the time to bother with her. For a while she had done just as they said. She’d stopped talking almost completely. Why should she even try at this point?  
  
But then she'd started talking to Meenah.  
  
“Damn, you shore talk a lot, Serks.” It was different from the others. She wasn't telling her to be quiet, or trying to insult her. She was just being honest. That’s who she is.  
  
“Sorry. People are always telling me I talk too much.”  
  
“Don't apologize. You gotta be who you are, right? I don't mind.”  
  
That was when she made a decision. Nobody else's opinion mattered, so long as Meenah liked her for her.  
  
Meenah talks to her about her problems and she gives her advice the best she can.  
  
“She just doesn't get it. I don’t want to be empress. When you’re in charge of everybody else, it’s like _you_ don't matter anymore. I don't want to give up who _I am_ and what _I want_ to watch over every other cod damned troll on the planet for however many thousand sweeps.”  
  
“Have you tried talking to her about it? From what I've heard, her highness is a fairly understanding person.”  
  
“I try to bring it up, but she always cuts me off with that responsibility bullcarp.”  
  
“Bullcarp is new.”  
  
“I might be reachin a bit. Kinda irritated, ya know?”  
  
“You just have to start an open and honest discussion with her. Tell her that you need to be heard, no interruptions. She chose the responsibility of the planet’s welfare, but you don't have to. Your first responsibility is to yourself. She may be ruler of the planet, but you still have control of your own destiny. If you don't want to do this, you don't have to. Just talk to her the way you talk to me. Don't hold back because of social status, or some perceived notion of inferiority.”  
  
Meenah snorts loudly. “Inferiority? To that priss? As if.” Then she sighs. “Come on Aranea, I can't talk to anybody the way I talk to you. You're the only person I know who ain't a complete glubbin pain in my ass.”  
  
Aranea talks to her about her problems too, and she always makes her feel better in the weirdest, roundabout ways.  
  
“Fucker yelled at you?”  
  
“It happens. I don’t know when to stop talking, and eventually I reach the limits of people's patience. I'm used to being snapped at for it.”  
  
“Oh, no fucking way. Shore you can be long winded as shell, and yeah, sometimes that can get pretty glubbing annoying, but that's no excuse for yellin at you. It's not like you were insulting the buoy's lusus.” She started grumbling and cracking her knuckles. “I will fuck him up. That guy is chum.”  
  
“Really, Meenah, you don't have to turn anyone into chum. It's fine. It was my fault.”  
  
“It's not fine! You shouldn't be treated like shit for bein yourself. You should never have to apologize for, or be made to feel bad about who you are. If that son of beach has got a short temper, that's his damage and he shouldn't be taking it out on you! You have got to quit lettin yourself get walked on like that, Serket.” She sighs in frustration and sits down next to her.  
  
It's quiet for a few moments before she asks a question.  
  
“What exactly did he say to you?”  
  
Aranea stares at her feet. She probably shouldn't tell her. It would just set her off.  
  
“Serks?”  
  
“He said ‘will you just shut your mouth, you stupid bitch.’”  
  
There's total silence. Aranea's empathic abilities let her feel the flat buzz of shock, then a snap of unbridled rage before Meenah bolts upright and is storming towards the door.  
  
“I’ll fucking murder him!”  
  
“Meenah, no!” She has to tackle her friend to the ground and hold her down by her legs to keep her from going out and killing someone.  
  
~~~~  
  
One day, they are sitting in Aranea's room. Meenah has had a very frustrating day and says she wants to stay here for a while to get away from “all the other assholes on this stupid planet.” Aranea sits cross-legged, Meenah is sprawled out a few feet away from her. Aranea is trying to distract her friend and hopefully ease some of her irritation. She's rambling on about something as per usual. She can feel the tension rolling off the sea dweller in waves. It's just getting worse. She doesn't know what she's doing wrong or how to help so she just keeps talking. She can't stop talking when she's panicking.  
  
Finally, Meenah snaps.

  


“Shut up, Serket!”

  


It feels like someone's just filled her chest with ice. Her breath hitches and she feels her heartbeat pounding harder than she thinks it ever has.  
  
 _No, no, no! You idiot! You've done it again. You screwed up. Why can't you ever just learn when to be quiet? You've pissed off the one person in the world who actually gives two shits about you! You're going to ruin the only good relationship you've ever had in your miserable life._  
  
Bright blue tears start pooling in the corners of her eyes. Soon they're rolling down her face and she has to choke back a sob.  
  
Meenah looks up at the sound. In an instant she's scrambled upright and is rushing over to her friend. “Whoa, Aranea, what the shell? Are you alright?”  
  
She puts her hands on her shoulders and shakes her gently. “Hey, what's wrong? Talk to me.”  
  
“ You've never told me to shut up before.”  
  
“What?”  
  
“I thought you were different. I thought we…” She can't even talk. Meenah was the one person she never thought she'd hear that from. She could be brash and rude, but she never thought she'd say those two words to her. It hurts so bad, and she's convinced she's permanently broken something between them. She thinks she's lost the only person who matters.  
  
“Aranea, I…” She trails off, then pulls the sobbing girl to her in a tight hug. “I'm sorry,” she mumbles in her ear. “I didn't mean it. I'm just reely frustrated, and I shouldn't have taken it out on you. It's okay, clam down. Please stop cryin.”  
  
Normally, she might take comfort in the salty smell coming off of Meenah's skin. But she's so convinced it's over, if she's going to leave she wishes she would just go. “You don't have to pretend to like me. If you don't want to be around me you don't have to.”  
  
Meenah pulls away enough to look her in the eyes. “The fuck are you talkin about? I don't pretend. If I didn't like you, you'd know it.” She holds her arms tight just below the shoulders and looks her in the eyes. “Listen to me. Okay?” She leans forward and presses her forehead to Aranea’s. Their horns bump slightly and she ignores it. “There’s nofin you could ever do to make me hate you, so get that thought outta your head right now. You are pretty much the only person I _can_ stand to be around. And how could you ever let a couple harsh words make you think I don't like you anemonemore? You're a psychic! You know what I'm feelin. You pickin up on anyfin bad in your direction from me?”  
  
Aranea tried to calm herself down enough to focus on the emotions coming from Meenah. There was a deep concern. Gentle affection. And just a small glimmer of sadness.  
  
“No. You're sad though. I'm sorry.”  
  
Meenah laughed. “You dork. Water you apologizin for? I'm the one who made you cry.” She reached up and wiped at what was left of Aranea's tears. “If I'm sad, it's only because I don't ever want you thinkin I don't care about you. You're the best frond a gill could ask for.”  
  
Now Aranea laughed. “Your dedication to fish puns is truly remarkable.” She smiled at her best friend. “Thanks, Meenah. I’m sorry if I overreacted.”  
  
“S’chool. I get it.”  
  
She knows she understands. She can feel it so strongly she can practically read her thoughts.  
  
They laid down on the floor together and stared up at the ceiling, both feeling much calmer. They held hands, Meenah wanting to keep some form of physical reminder between them in case Aranea was still insecure.  
  
“Man though,” Meenah said. “Who would've thought Kankri coulda been right about all that triggering words shit.”  
  
“Oh cod, don't you ever tell him about this. We'll never hear the end of it.”  
  
“Hahaha, you said cod! I love you.”


End file.
